Blue Hawks' season ends at state tourney

There was talk at the beginning of the just concluded boys’ Class B basketball season that 2024-25 would possibly be a rebuilding year for the Thompson Falls Blue Hawks.

But as has been said on many previous occasions, T Falls head coach Jake Mickelson doesn’t rebuild, the just reloads every year. 

That was the case this season as the Blue Hawks advanced to this past weekend’s state championship tourney at the Adams Center in Missoula. 

And although they lost their two games in the loaded eight-team field, which was won by powerful Missoula Loyola, 91-57 over Lodge Grass, the Hawks showed they belonged in the elite final tourney. 

Thompson Falls opened their appearance in Missoula with a 62-50 loss to Harlem Thursday evening, then were eliminated the next night by the Glasgow Scotties, 69-50. 

The Blue Hawks entered the state championship round after finishing second in the Western Division.  The two losses left Thompson Falls with a 19-6 overall record this season, including a 10-0 run through the District 7B regular season. 

In their opener versus Harlem, the Blue Hawks got off to a slow start and found themselves trailing the Wildcats 11-6.  Harlem then outscored T Falls 19-13 in the second quarter, giving them a 30-19 lead at the half. 

The teams traded baskets in the third quarter, with each team scoring 20 points to keep the 11-point halftime lead intact heading into the final eight minutes of regulation. 

The fourth quarter was similar to the third, with neither team able to gain much ground, and as the final horn sounded Harlem emerged with the 12-point win. 

Cody McCabe scored a team-high 15 points for the winners, while T Falls was paced by standout senior forward Owen Doyle who scored 22 for T Falls, while Bryson LeCoure added 14, who had 14 to top the Blue Hawks. 

Harlem outrebounded the Blue Hawks 38-30, snaring 27 rebounds off the defensive glass during the game. 

The loss to Harlem moved Thompson Falls into a consolation round game versus Glasgow, which led 21-17 after the first quarter. 

The Scotties added three points to their lead, outscoring T Falls 11-8 in the second quarter.  That gave Glasgow a 32-25 halftime advantage. 

Glasgow’s defense continued to stymie Thompson Falls in the second half, holding the Blue Hawks to 25 points over the final two quarters of play, while scoring 37 of their own. 

The Scotties got a game-high 30 points from Cade Hudyma, while T Falls was topped by senior guard Kaiden Robins, who led the Blue Hawks with 13 points.  LeCoure chipped in 11 points for T Falls. 

    Thompson Falls forward Kellen LeCoure (14) is guarded by Harlem's Nathan Blackwolf during their first-round state playoff game this past week in Missoula. (Tracy Scott, Valley Press)
  

    Senior guard Sam Burgess (23) goes by the Harlem defense for a layup during their game this past week in Missoula. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
  

    Senior forward Bryson LeCoure drops in a two-pointer during the Blue Hawks' first round game at the State B championship in Missoula. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)